


The Bystander Effect

by seratonation



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-04
Updated: 2008-05-04
Packaged: 2017-11-02 06:22:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/365901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seratonation/pseuds/seratonation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The bystander effect is defined as: When there is an emergency, the more bystanders there are, the less likely it is that any of them will actually help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bystander Effect

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta’d, I wrote this during my exams to help me remember the 4 different types of social behavior. The other three aren’t as obvious here, but it’s the bystander effect that intrigued me the most, and started this scene in my head. The example the professor gave us was a lot more disturbing.

There was a strange hum, and Sheppard was down, an long arrow sticking out of his arm.

 

Rodney fell beside him, first aid kit already in his hand and tiny but efficient scissors cutting through the BDU shirt sleeve, as John groaned. He could sense Ronon taking out his blaster and trying to aim at the shooter. 

 

_*“If anything happens, I want us all to be prepared” Sheppard had said, “Which means you’ll have to know first aid, and the others will cover you.”_

_“I can hold my own in a fight,” he’d said defensively._

_I know that, but we can’t afford for both of us to get hurt, someone will need to fly the ‘jumper if we’ve taken one with us.”*_

 

As he threw the scissors aside he noticed the crowd, unmoving, staring. 

 

What the hell? “We need some help!” But he had to concentrate his efforts on breaking the shaft of the arrow, pressing down around the wound which was still bleeding. Sheppard was unconscious by now. The bleeding wasn’t stopping. Maybe it was something in the arrow that stopped blood clotting, maybe it had something that knocked its victims out, maybe it did both or something else entirely. 

 

_*You have to keep a clear head, Rodney. You’re no use to anyone if you panic or over think things.*_

 

He shook his head to clear it, no time for wondering. They had to get him to Carson. He turned to find Teyla just standing there, one of the crowd. 

 

“Teyla!” he yelled and she almost flinched, “Dial the gate!” She blinked and turned running through the crowd, her slender figure easily slipping through the press of bodies.

 

When he heard the whoosh of the gate he tried to pick up Sheppard but Ronon just pushed him aside and picked up the motionless form.

 

Rodney turned to the crowd, intending to make way for Ronon but someone in the back yelled out, “He deserves to die!” and the people presses closer, “Yes!” they said over and over, “He deserves to die!” they repeated and pressed closer still, he saw Jema, the girl who had flirted unashamedly with Sheppard earlier, another one of the crowed, anger on her face. And they haven’t even done anything this time. The Tacyone had been peaceful and civil, and quietly but firmly declined the offer to trade. Everything had been fine, until it wasn’t. 

 

He took out his gun and pointed at the crowd. “Move!” he yelled, shooting at the air and then quickly pointing at the crowd again. They opened up, separating, making a path for them. But as they walked through the crowd pressed in against them and closed behind them, and it felt like the Red Sea closing in on them. 

 

“He deserves whatever comes to him,” the elder said again, not needing to yell now that he was right beside them. And as they rushed through the gate, the last yells of the village faded with the closing of the gate.


End file.
